| Three-dimensional skin-contact microphone device -> Monitor Keywords |
|
|
 
Three-dimensional skin-contact microphone deviceRelated Patent Categories: Electrical Audio Signal Processing Systems And Devices, Electro-acoustic Audio Transducer, Body Contact Wave Transfer (e.g., Bone Conduction Earphone, Larynx Microphone)Three-dimensional skin-contact microphone device description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070165885, Three-dimensional skin-contact microphone device. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention generally relates to skin-contact microphone devices, and more particularly to a skin-contact microphone device having a three-dimensional shape. [0003] 2. The Prior Arts [0004] Various kinds of microphone devices have been commonly seen and used in the daily life. Especially in recent years with the widespread popularity of mobile consumer electronics devices such as cellular handsets and PDAs, all sorts of novel microphone devices such as those having integrated earphones and those having integrated wireless Bluetooth capability have regained the attention of customers and manufacturers as well. [0005] A conventional type of microphone device, the so-called condenser or capacitance-type microphone, mainly collects the voices from an audio source via the air. As the environmental noises are collected via the air as well, the condenser microphone devices are not appropriate for use in a noisy surrounding. To overcome the inherent limitation of the condenser microphone devices, another conventional type of microphone devices, the so-called skin-contact microphone, is developed, which is used by attachment to the throat of a user to pick up the skin vibrations induced by the user's speech, and converts the skin vibrations into electrical signals by piezoelectric means. [0006] FIG. 1a is a perspective view showing the appearance of a conventional skin-contact microphone device. As illustrated, the microphone device has a planar, curved body 10 like the letter `C` with a voice collection element 11 at one end and a signal cord 12 extended from the other end for feeding electrical signals to an electronic device (not shown). Some of the conventional skin-type microphone devices also have an earphone element containing one or two ear plugs (for use on a single ear or both ears) but, for simplicity sake, this earphone element is not shown. The C-shaped body 10 is flexible so that the two ends of the C-shaped body 10 could be pulled apart and, when the user releases them, the two ends are automatically restored to their original positions. As such, a user is able to wrap the microphone device around a user's neck from behind, as shown in FIG. 1b. [0007] The most appropriate location of the skin-contact microphone device is illustrated in FIG. 1b as location (a), where the voice collection element 11 is placed close to the jaw to pick up the strongest skin vibration when the user speaks. However, as the C-shaped body of the conventional skin-contact microphone device is usually designed not to squeeze the user's neck too tight to avoid uncomfortable feeling, the conventional skin-contact microphone usually falls down to the bottom of the neck as shown in FIG. 1b as location (b) when the user runs, walks, or turns his or her head. The skin vibration is significantly weaker there and the voice collection capability of the skin-contact microphone device is seriously impaired. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0008] Accordingly, the present invention provides a skin-contact microphone device having a novel three-dimensional body to obviate the misplacement problem of the conventional, planar skin-contact microphone devices. [0009] The microphone device according to the present invention at least contains a linear body having appropriate plasticity and flexibility, and a voice collection element configured at an end of the linear body. The linear body is structured into a three-dimensional shape which, when viewed from the top, has a curved shape like the letter `C` and, when viewed from a side, has a shape like the symbol `<` as the two ends of the linear body are bended upward and downward for an appropriate angle respectively. With this three-dimensional structure, the microphone device of the present invention is able to have its voice collection element stably and reliably positioned close to the jaw around the top of a user's throat by having the other end supported by the muscle around the user's clavicle. As such, the voice collection element of the microphone device is not displaced from its best location from the user's movement or turning of the neck. [0010] The three-dimensional body structure provided by the present invention could be applied in building a wired microphone device or a wireless microphone device by integrating Bluetooth technology. For the latter, the Bluetooth transmission and reception element could be located at an appropriate location along the linear body and the connection wires between the voice collection element and the Bluetooth element could be concealed inside the linear body. [0011] The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood from a careful reading of a detailed description provided herein below with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0012] FIG. 1a is a perspective view showing the appearance of a conventional skin-contact microphone device. [0013] FIG. 1b is a schematic view showing the scenarios of a conventional skin-type microphone device wrapped around a user's neck. [0014] FIG. 2a is a top view showing the microphone device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [0015] FIG. 2b is a side view showing the microphone device of FIG. 2a. [0016] FIG. 2c is a perspective view showing the microphone device of FIG. 2a. [0017] FIG. 2d is a schematic view showing a scenario of the microphone device of FIG. 2a wrapped around a user's neck. [0018] FIG. 2e is a side view showing a variation of the microphone device of FIG. 2a. [0019] FIG. 3a is a perspective view showing the microphone device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [0020] FIG. 3b is a perspective view showing the microphone device according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [0021] FIG. 4a is a perspective view showing the microphone device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. Continue reading about Three-dimensional skin-contact microphone device... Full patent description for Three-dimensional skin-contact microphone device Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Three-dimensional skin-contact microphone device patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Three-dimensional skin-contact microphone device or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Stereo/monaural switching circuit and integrated circuit having the same Next Patent Application: Louderspeaker Industry Class: Electrical audio signal processing systems and devices ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Three-dimensional skin-contact microphone device patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 0.28047 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Tyco , Unilever , Warner-lambert , 3m 174 |
 * Protect your Inventions * US Patent Office filing 
PATENT INFO |
|
